Fetal development in week 31

With each added layer of baby fat, your baby's wrinkly raisin skin starts to look more and more like it will when they're born.

The heavy news: you can expect your miracle-gro muffin to gain about a half a pound of weight per week from now until about two weeks before birth.

Your baby's developing immune system has made some serious gains over the past weeks getting them in full gear to face our disease-ridden world o’ wonders.

Even so, a large majority of your child’s immune strength will need to come from your milk in the first year.

Their cute little noggin’ (which could already be covered with luscious locks or just purty peach fuzz), is still soft because the skull bones have not yet fused together.

As disturbing as having an infant with a soft cracked skull sounds, it's pretty much a necessity for passage through the birth canal during labor.

If your baby is in your birth canal for an extended period, they'll come out with a bit of a cone head, as a result of their skull plates being compressed while in your rather snug birth canal. It's normal, harmless and their skull will even out into a more round, less cone-heady shape in the next few weeks.

Oh, and FYI: your baby may have that “soft spot” on their head for up to eighteen months after birth.

And how's mom doing?

Here’s a good way to deal with your mounting impatience (and distract you from your discomfort): map out your plan of action for the big day.

It’s an important and necessary step that’s both soothing and fun.

If you think about it, planning all the details of your labor now can be a real saving grace once the chaos and intensity of labor kicks in.

Planning a hospital birth:

*These guidelines also apply for a birthing center birth*

Pack a bag with a couple of changes of loose comfortable clothes (bikinis if you want to be hopping in and out of the shower/bath), reading material, music that you think would inspire/relax you during labor, and a camera.

If you haven't yet, choose who you want present during labor and whether you're going to have a doula/midwife who will mediate potentially pushy medical staff on your behalf - in order to support you and uphold
your birth plan throughout labor.

Get to know your driving route to the hospital or birthing center like the back of your hand.

Make a list of typical medical procedures you're comfortable with and which ones you'd like to avoid during labor and birth. Type it up and print out the list to give it to your medical caregiver as soon as possible.

Include a post-birth plan to prevent your baby from being taken away from you, ensure that they're not given formula or a bottle, which can induce "nipple confusion" and make breastfeeding more difficult.

Planning a home birth

Make sure your midwife is available for the weeks around your due date.

Decide whether or not you want to rent a birthing tub!

Get the delivery room ready. Your midwife will provide you with a list of necessary equipment to buy and bring the rest herself.

Choose who will be present while you labor, and don't let anyone guilt you into including them if you're not sure they're the kind of person you'll want around when you're in the throes of labor.

Make sure you've got all the necessary infant supplies: newborn diapers and wipes, swaddling blankets, newborn clothes and a safe sleep space (whether in a protected co-sleeping area or crib/bassinet).

Make a go-to-hospital contingency plan with your midwife in the event something goes seriously wrong and medical intervention becomes necessary.

Did You Know?

The oh-so dramatic moment when a pregnant woman’s water unexpectedly breaks is largely a scene contrived in Hollywood as only 15% of women actually experience this. When your water does break it may just be a trickle (and not the gushing water fall you’d anticipated). It is more likely that labor starts before your water breaks, in which case a painless (sterile) hook-like instrument is used to rupture the amniotic sac.